Garage door safety every family should know

Place a roll of paper towels in the door's path and close the door. It should meet the roll, stop, and reverse. If it does not, the safety reversing system needs attention. A yearly safety inspection checks the sensors, springs, and balance for you.

Three basics. Test the auto-reverse so the door stops and reverses on an obstacle. Keep the wall button out of young children's reach so the door is never treated as a toy. And never let anyone walk under a moving door, since it is the largest moving object in most homes.

A yearly safety inspection checks the sensors, springs, and balance for you, and that inspection is part of every DoorGuard membership. Between visits you can test the auto-reverse yourself with a roll of paper towels, but the sensor, spring, and balance checks are a professional job.

Yes. The yearly safety inspection is part of every DoorGuard membership, alongside the annual tune-up. Membership starts at $19/month, billed monthly with no contract, and it includes priority service and 25% off repair labor.